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Friday, 29 February 2008

Nik Nazmi is the candidate standing for elections under PKR for Kelana Jaya.

He is all of 26 years old, but obviously young blood is what we need to move this country forward. This guy grabs the bull by the horns with his address of issues that Malaysians love to sweep under the carpet far too much.

Thursday, 28 February 2008

This is a rather sobering piece by Michael Backman in The Age about our state of affairs and the credibility of our Opposition.

I'm not sure if I agree completely that there are no redeeming qualities associated with the Opposition parties, I certainly believe more can be and should be done to monitor them and help them help us.

Some of the shenanigans of the people we have allowed to take office:

..the Malaysian Government has presided over an extraordinary number of scandals that are appalling by any standards: the trade minister's allocation of car import permits to friends, relatives and supporters; the billion-dollar fraud at the Port Klang Free Trade Zone; the outrageous and much-flaunted wealth of ruling party politician Zakaria Md Deros; the claims that a High Court judge allowed the lawyer representing a rich businessman to write for him his judgement in a defamation lawsuit; an immensely rich chief minister in Sarawak state who is allowed to rule as if it were his; and so on.

Sunday, 24 February 2008

We should aim for an 80% voter turnout at this election. After 50 years of independence, it’s time we got more involved.

(We might not be able to do better than 80%, realistically, because there will always be some voters in hospital with dengue fever; and of course, going by the alarming crime rates, a large number of voters will be the victims of snatch theft on the way to the polling station, thereby losing their identity cards and being unable to prove that they are actual living, registered voters, as opposed to, say, one of 200 dead voters living in the same two-room house.)

Anecdotal evidence suggests that voter turnout is low among the educated and English-speaking. Readers of The Star, basically. I sincerely hope someone will come up with figures to show that I’m wrong, but that’s the way it looks.

Excuses for not voting abound.

The idea that by not voting one can somehow register “a protest against the whole political system” is utterly nonsensical. You wouldn’t be registering a protest.

You wouldn’t be registering anything. You’d be erasing yourself.

You’d be disemboweling your own citizenship.

You’d be tearing out the intestines of your patriotism and throwing them onto the barbecue of your apathy.

In short: If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

Saturday, 23 February 2008

Kawan-kawan, there was much drama at the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial yesterday. Someone is trying to do a number on someone. There are no angels involved. Only devils. For a minute the case was adjourned and the courtroom almost cleared.

The newspapers were not allowed to report on what really went on. Only a portion of what happened was reported in the press. Here is The Star version:

Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, who is being tried for abetting two policemen in murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, lost his cool on the 90th day [on Wednesday].

He had a dissatisfied look when his father Datuk Abdullah Malim Baginda whispered something to him before the hearing began at about 9.30am.

After the proceedings were adjourned for lunch, however, the 48-year-old political analyst, surprised all those present in the High Court when he suddenly kicked and banged the door with his hands.

He was also seen crying before his lawyer Wong Kian Kheong and mother calmed him down.

Before the hearing began at 9:30 am, Razak Baginda's father had whispered something to him. This made Razak angry the whole day. Finally, about three hours later, Razak Baginda could not stand it any longer and exploded. What did he say?

Reporter friends who were there said that Razak shouted again and again, "Matilah kau Pak Lah! Matilah Pak Lah! I am innocent! I am innocent!" Then he went into a mad rampage and kicked the chairs and doors in the courtroom. Even the Judge was shocked and did not know what to do. Both the defense lawyers and the prosecution team were also all shocked.

The story goes that Razak Baginda's father whispered instructions to his son to incriminate his former boss Najib Tun Razak. The instruction came from the Pak Lah camp. This was yet another deal they were trying to make - Razak Baginda's life for Najib's head. The story is that Najib is outshining Badawi in this coming general election. Najib may win big in Pahang but Pak Lah may win small or even lose his seat in Kepala Batas.

The Pak Lah camp may also suspect that Najib's people are working in the background to embarass Pak Lah in Kepala Batas. Hence the 'whisperings' through Razak Baginda's father.

TheSun newspaper carried the story, complete with Razak Baginda's outburst. However, the Home Ministry asked The Sun to withdraw their first run which carried the 'Matilah Kau Pak Lah!' outburst by Razak Baginda. TheSun had to withdraw thousands of copies of their print run early this morning.

Strange things are happening in the country, folks. No angels are involved. Only devils.

After Malaysia just had it's "Visit Malaysia" year there is little reason why someone would want to visit this country in 2008. The stream of disturbing news and incidents just does not seem to come to an end.

Most severe is certainly the discrimination of its ethnic Indian citizens, which starts to show some similarities with the apartheid politics, as formerly known, from South Africa.

Denying people basic rights to demonstrate against their obvious discrimination and indefinitely detaining activists without any trial is simply beyond any standard of civilization.

It is not only racial, but also religious discrimination which seems to be pursued by the Malaysian Authorities.

Thanks to them, now God is to be used with a copyright: Allah (c) -- is only to be used by Muslims despite the fact that Christians referred to God as Allah even before Mohammed was born.

After all, there is only one God. This sort of narrow minded religious understanding would deserve merely a raised eyebrow if it would not sadly affect the lives of Christians in Malaysia.

And finally there have been too many incidents about forced last-minute-conversions from Christians to Muslims, resulting in a Muslim burial. With this attitude, it may seem logical that Sharia court rulings are happily applied to non-Muslims also.

In which direction is Malaysia heading? For now it is certainly the wrong one. Who would want to visit a country like this, where behind the shiny facade too much is rotten?

Therefore Malaysia should be boycotted as a tourism destination in 2008 -- hopefully there will be more inviting news in 2009.

DIETMAR HANZENBangkok

I hope next year has better news too, Dietmar. It depends on next month, really.

On another note, looks like Fong will NOT have to campaign as she has had Najib Tun Razak endorse her as a capable member of parliament.

He [Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak] said the refusal of a capable member of parliament such as Fong Po Kuan to contest in the election showed that there was a serious internal conflict within the party.

I find it so amusing that even the cheap shot at DAP does not worry me the least bit.

Now since the government opinion should count at all costs, you know who to vote for in the Batu Gajah constituency.

Thursday, 21 February 2008

I have had a few emails from my Christian friends, urging me to consider my voting options (and prerogative) very seriously.

I fully intend to.

After all, there has been too much bullying in the name of religion. In the International Herald Tribune, a few notable cases are documented:

The Christian husband of a Malaysian woman who died in December clashed with Islamic authorities who contended she had converted to Islam a week before her death and would be buried according to Muslim rites. A Malaysian court ordered the woman's body released for a Christian funeral after the conversion claim was retracted.

In another case, a 29-year-old woman who was born a Muslim but converted to Hinduism was ordered by Malaysian authorities to spend six months in an Islamic rehabilitation center, where she said officials tried to make her pray as a Muslim, wear a head scarf and eat beef, a sacrilege to Hindus.

The Malaysian government, meanwhile, recently stated non-Muslims cannot use the word "Allah," worrying Christians who use the term to refer to God in their Malay-language Bibles and other publications.

And last month, customs officers seized 32 Bibles from a Christian traveler, saying they were trying to determine whether the Bibles were imported for commercial purposes.

Christians in Malaysia have been largely apolitical.

While I firmly believe in the separation of church and state, I believe as citizens, Christians should exercise their right to choose their government by VOTING. Unfortunately, some subscribe to the notion of merely praying to God to deal with their political issues rather than researching and taking to the ballot boxes.

Others (as Teresa Kok pointed out) traditionally support BN because they "don't want to rock the boat". They live in fear of a recurrence of the May 13 racial riots. I find it amusing that Christians wax lyrical about "faith" but have so little of it.

That being said, I wouldn't endorse a political party with Christianity as its central theme anymore than I would a Muslim one, but in this case, I would vote for PAS if I had to. At least they're not as racist as they're made out to be.

You've been heckled, had eggs/tomatoes thrown in your general direction, had women yell at you, men show you the finger and heaps of Indian bloggers feverishly pecking at their keyboards in contempt for you.

Are you waiting for a sign from God himself?

I'd tell Samy to get lost now. Except I do want him to stand for election and lose his seat to the Opposition.

Tuesday, 19 February 2008

Malaysian politics is rife with mostly two types of politicians - the criminals and the cowards.

Now Fong Po Kuan is neither. She was one of those chicks that I loved to laud as tough and indestructible. She sent half the BN fools limping off the battlefield, including those bocor in the head and elsewhere.

Oh, the parliament was a tough place to be. Very rarely does one get the misfortune of being in a roomful of uneducated idiots. But hey, the Malaysian MPs do converge and that's where (somewhere off Jalan Kuching) the collective IQ per square feet drops drastically.

We are trying to raise it sometime next month. But I digress.

My point is, Fong Po Kuan learnt to handle her situations. In other words, she gave as good as she got. And she got very good at being an MP and voicing her opinions.

She's definitely what we need this coming elections. Because the Opposition will never have victory delivered to them in a silver platter like this particular one. Not even close.

But unfortunately, due to politics or personal reasons (she recently got married and they say marriage makes people soft) she has decided to resign and give up her seat to some other guy.

Not good. Not at this time. We REALLY need her.

I don't know if we can change her mind. But we can try.

Go and vote online at Petition to DAP. Perhaps we can influence her decision.

“During my term as Malacca chief minister for 12 years, I did my part to transform a poor state into a vibrant one and I would like to do the same for national politics,” he said.

I have not seen any visible development in Malacca for the past 25 years. Maintenance of our historical sites is poor. There is insufficient explanation of the history behind the buildings and artefacts.

Tourists, especially foreign ones complain after a visit. I know, because I unfortunately bear the brunt of it.

But don't mind me. Back to Rahim Tamby Chik.

His only claim to fame is his paedophilia back in 1998 which few of us want to forget and his less memorable (but still significant) bouts of racism in 2007.

Yep. Bear in mind the government decided not to press statutory rape charges against him - instead choosing to detain his victim, the 15-year-old girl involved for three years in "protective custody".

Saturday, 16 February 2008

Be careful. It’s 2 am now and I just came back home. On the way, I saw soooo many roadblocks and police presence. They are not taking this lightly. As far as I know, they are out in FULL FORCE.

I’m scared. BUT I WILL BE THERE. (Shit scared)

I think the police are getting braver and braver. When this happens, they tend to do really dumb things (not that they have shown any grey matter before)

1. BERSIH 10/11 - We caught them off guard.2. HINDRAF - They got braver and became violent.3. HUMAN RIGHTS DAY - They got even more braver because they found out they could get away with arresting lawyers.4. PROTES - They got even more braver by arresting soo many people.

They are much more insolent and brazen in their approach because they have gotten away with so many things. THEY ARE GETTING BRAVER.

So people, please exercise caution. I worry for you and for myself.. and most of all the children who will be there. No sleep tonight.

I love you, Malaysians.

Ya Allah, please protect us from tyranny and the aggressions of these ruthless people.

Quote from the Qur’an:“Do not oppress and BE NOT OPPRESSED.”

This child deserves her say.

Thanks for your note, woman.

I actually agree and I think it's a legitimate cause for concern.

It's going to be pretty bad. Especially as it concerns the Indians and you know how they're treated in this country.